Autonomous vehicle parking methods and systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10286904-B2
Application number	US-201715620446-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2017
Priority date	Jun 12, 2017
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for controlling parking of an autonomous vehicle. A method of parking an autonomous vehicle includes receiving sensor data indicative of an exterior environment of the autonomous vehicle. The received sensor data is processed to determine a parking space characterization. Additional sensor data is received that is indicative of an occupant location within the autonomous vehicle. A processor determines a parking position within a parking space based on the parking space characterization and the occupant location. The processor generates control signals to operate one or more actuator devices to maneuver the autonomous vehicle into the parking space at the parking position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of parking an autonomous vehicle comprising:
scanning, by a first sensor, a target parking space while traveling in an aisle across an entry to the target parking space to generate first sensor data;
stopping, by at least one processor, the autonomous vehicle in the aisle after crossing the entry;
receiving, from the first sensor, first sensor data indicative of an exterior environment of the autonomous vehicle including of the target parking space;
processing, by the at least one processor, the received first sensor data to determine a parking space characterization;
receiving, from a second sensor, second sensor data indicative of an occupant location within the autonomous vehicle;
determining, by the at least one processor, a parking position within the target parking space based on the parking space characterization and the occupant location; and
generating, by the at least one processor, control signals to operate one or more actuator devices of the autonomous vehicle; and
maneuvering, by the one or more actuator devices, the autonomous vehicle into the target parking space at the parking position to accommodate any limited clearance in the target parking space.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising:
providing, by the processor, a message to exit the autonomous vehicle prior to operating the one or more actuator devices to maneuver the autonomous vehicle into the parking space.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising:
obtaining door ajar values for the autonomous vehicle, wherein receiving the second sensor data indicative of an occupant location within the autonomous vehicle comprises receiving the obtained door ajar values; and
determining, by the processor, whether a left door or a right door of the autonomous vehicle requires opening to evacuate the autonomous vehicle based on the obtained door ajar values.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising:
determining, by the processor, whether a front door of the autonomous vehicle requires opening to evacuate the vehicle; and
when a front door requires opening, generating, by the processor, a message to exit the autonomous vehicle prior to operating the one or more actuator devices to maneuver the autonomous vehicle into the parking space.

5. The method of claim 1 comprising:
determining, by the processor, a side of the parking space where resides a limited lateral clearance; and
stopping, by the processor, the autonomous vehicle with the parking position laterally offset closer to an opposite side of the parking space from the side.

6. The method of claim 1 comprising:
scanning, by the processor, the parking space to locate a pair of longitudinal boundary lines; and
wherein the parking position is closer to one of the longitudinal boundary lines than to the other of the longitudinal boundary lines.

7. The method of claim 1 comprising:
determining, by the processor, whether a limited lateral clearance exists on both a left side and a right side of the parking space; and
when the limited lateral clearance is on both sides of the parking space, generating, by the processor, a message to exit the autonomous vehicle prior to operating the one or more actuator devices to maneuver the autonomous vehicle into the parking space.

8. The method of claim 1 comprising:
generating, by the processor, a message to exit the autonomous vehicle while the autonomous vehicle is stopped in the aisle.

9. The method of claim 8 comprising:
waiting for an evacuation of the autonomous vehicle while the autonomous vehicle is stopped in the aisle; and
operating, by the processor, the one or more actuator devices to maneuver the autonomous vehicle into the parking space after the evacuation of the autonomous vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1 comprising:
determining, by the processor, whether the parking space has a limited lateral clearance, wherein the limited lateral clearance is created by an adjacent vehicle crowding the target parking space.

11. The method of claim 1 comprising:
providing, by the processor, a message to exit the autonomous vehicle while the autonomous vehicle is stopped in the aisle.

12. The method of claim 11 comprising:
waiting for evacuation of the autonomous vehicle while the autonomous vehicle is stopped in the aisle; and
operating, by the processor, the one or more actuator devices to maneuver the autonomous vehicle into the parking space, after the evacuation of the autonomous vehicle.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein:
receiving the second sensor data indicative of an occupant location within the autonomous vehicle comprises:
monitoring, by the processor, door ajar sensors to obtain door open data;
storing the door open data as the stored values; and
accessing, by the processor, the stored values.

14. The method of claim 13 comprising:
determining, by the processor, whether a left door or a right door of the autonomous vehicle requires opening to evacuate the autonomous vehicle, based on the stored values.

15. A system for parking an autonomous vehicle comprising:
a first sensor configured to generate exterior data indicative of an exterior environment of the autonomous vehicle, including of a target parking space;
a processor receiving the exterior data and configured to:
evaluate, by a target parking space characterization module and based on the exterior data, any objects, free space and parking space boundary lines of the target parking space; and
characterize, using the exterior data, the target parking space concerning availability for use and any limited clearance in the target parking space to obtain a parking space characterization;

a second sensor configured to generate interior data indicative of an occupant location within the autonomous vehicle;
the processor, configured to determine a parking position of the autonomous vehicle based on the parking space characterization, including the limited clearance, and the occupant location; and
one or more actuator devices configured to maneuver the autonomous vehicle into the parking space at the parking position in response to signals from the processor and to accommodate the limited clearance.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the processor comprises:
a target parking space identification module configured to identify the parking space and to generate a scan signal based on identification of the parking space; and
a scan control module configured to receive the scan signal and to generate a control signal,
wherein the one or more actuators are responsive to the control signal.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the processor comprises:
a target parking space characterization module configured to receive the exterior data and in response, to generate the parking space characterization as characterization data of the parking space; and
a parking decision module configured to receive and process the characterization data to determine the parking position.

18. An autonomous vehicle comprising:
a body having a number of doors configured to open;
a first sensor configured to generate exterior data indicative of an exterior environment of the autonomous vehicle;
a processor receiving the exterior data and configured to determine a parking space characterization for a target parking space based on the external data;
a second sensor configured to sense an opening of at least one door for occupant entry to generate interior data indicative of an occupant location within the autonomous vehicle;
the processor, configured to determine wheth

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Yaldo Valor
• Song Xiaofeng F

Classifications

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• H04W4/44

  for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H] · CPC title

• B62D15/0285

  Parking performed automatically · CPC title

• B60W30/06 Primary

  Automatic manoeuvring for parking · CPC title

• H04W4/46

  for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V] · CPC title